Water Ministry on the spot over Sh1 billion in stalled projects
MPs have accused the ministry of approving huge sums for boreholes, irrigation works, and sanitation facilities that either do not exist or remain incomplete, with no clear records of accountability.
The Ministry of Water is facing scrutiny from Members of Parliament after the Auditor General flagged over Sh1 billion in questionable payments to contractors for stalled or unspecified projects.
MPs have accused the ministry of approving huge sums for boreholes, irrigation works, and sanitation facilities that either do not exist or remain incomplete, with no clear records of accountability.
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Water Principal Secretary Julius Korir was grilled by the National Assembly's Public Accounts Committee on Wednesday over the irregularities.
The committee, chaired by MP Tindi Mwale, questioned the rationale behind the payment of Sh177 million for the drilling of boreholes whose number was never specified.
“Since you paid Sh177 million, which was not budgeted for, which items did you subtract from the approved budget for you to utilise the amount in the unbudgeted budget? Why was this payment made to an unknown number of boreholes?” asked Mwale.
Korir responded by distancing himself from the expenditure, saying, “We can bring more documents to the committee that list the boreholes that benefited, their status and the locations.”
The committee members expressed concern that the Water Ministry might have lost millions to ghost projects and demanded a nationwide list of all boreholes.
“We want the PS to table before this committee all the boreholes in the country so that we can be able to identify which are fictitious payments and which ones are not,” said Mathioya MP Edwin Mugo.
The audit also flagged Sh19.6 million paid for the Murang’a Lot 3 Irrigation Project, which has stalled despite the completion timeline having lapsed.
Similarly, Sh176 million was paid for the Kenyenyaini Irrigation Project, yet it remains incomplete.
The River Sagana Restoration Project, allocated Sh443.6 million, also came under scrutiny, with the Auditor General questioning how funds were used after partial disbursement.
Construction of ablution blocks in Mtwapa and Mariakani received Sh27 million, but there is no evidence of completed work.
In Narok County, the Olopito Irrigation Project saw a Sh5.5 million overpayment to a contractor, while the Parkilat Water Project in Kilgoris Constituency is in question after the ministry paid Sh14 million for land without ownership documents.
The committee is pushing for full disclosure and and documentation of all projects under the ministry, demanding accountability for funds that appear to have vanished without a trace.
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